Dark Souls III – From Software
The concluding instalment in From Software’s acclaimed action role-playing series provides all the impassable enemies, labyrinthine locations and gothic cruelty we expect from director Hidetaka Miyazaki.
What we said: The Dark Souls series is beloved of designers, who see its singular, idiosyncratic approach, and seemingly uncompromised vision as an example of everything they hope to achieve.
Darkest Dungeon – Red Hook Studios
Chris Bourassa and Tyler Sigman’s unrelentingly doom-laden exploration game follows a group of treasure hunters as they wander monster-infested tunnels, going slowly mad in the process.
What we said: Darkest Dungeon is something fresh in one of gaming’s most overdone genres, and the stress system is a winner – a particular delight being how a long-lived character will accumulate various mental scars. Gambling against death is at the heart of the game, because every time something glitters, the truly crazy decision would be to walk away.
Dirt Rally – Codemasters
Returning to the glory days of the famed Colin McRae Rally series, Codemasters provides a thrilling and highly authentic off-road driving sim, jammed with exciting vehicles and snaking international circuits.
What we said: Its core mode, despite initially appearing thin on substance, delivers an enthralling handling model; its single-minded focus on realism demands much from virtual rally drivers but also engages and rewards in a way that few games ever truly manage.
Doom – Id Software
Id Software strips the seminal first-person shooter back to its basic functionality, and the result is a gruesome, turbo-charged romp through 1990s game design ideology.
What we said: The crudeness and simplicity of its structure is juxtaposed with the refinement of its systems. The moment-to-moment play, that whiplash trigger-punch combo, is exemplary.
Enter the Gungeon – Dodge Roll
A furious mix of dungeon crawler and bullet hell shooter, Enter The Gungeon joins Nuclear Throne at the pinnacle of the so-hot-it-burns roguelike genre.
What we said: Enter the Gungeon’s gameplay is excellent. The gunfighters are agile and channel action-film stars as they flip over tables for impromptu cover and dodge bullets in the style of Max Payne. It is a joy to play.
Firewatch – Campo Santo
Mysterious, intimate and beautiful to look at, Campo Santo’s adventure cleverly uses its wilderness setting to symbolise some very human themes.
What we said: Firewatch’s final few minutes provide a rush of revelation and reconciliation that caps a triumphant and involving piece of emotional storytelling. It is, in the end, like a choose your own adventure book, played without dice or fighting.
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright/Conquest – Intelligent Systems
The 14th instalment in this grand turn-based role-playing adventure is split into three instalments, each with a different story, but all providing deep strategy, compellingly rounded characters and lovely visuals.
What we said: Admittedly, neither game offers much that is new, and the tutorial is convoluted, but the finely tuned strategic gameplay, beautiful soundtrack and compelling narrative make these a welcome pair of 3DS classics.
Hitman – Io Interactive
The stealth assassination series returns with a new episodic structure but the same focus on murderous player creativity. The guilty pleasure grows with every body bag.
What we said: While the series is ostensibly about stealth it also offers meticulously realised environments, providing its taciturn star Agent 47 with all manner of ingenious means to fulfil his sinister business.
Hyper Light Drifter – Heart Machine
Influenced by the classic Japanese role-playing games of the 1980s and 1990s, Hyper Light Drifter mixes traditional RPG conventions with a highly personal story of pain, sickness and hope.
What we said: It’s a game that shows rather than tells, and it expects you to pay attention to its every detail to piece it all together.
Ori and the Blind Forest – Moon Studios
Making the most of its luscious 2D visuals, Ori brings calm, beauty and spirituality to the platforming genre, as eponymous character Ori sets out on a journey to save his woodland home.
What we said: while the lore about elements and light and dark is nothing special, what you witness of the characters in brief moments throughout the game is touching, sandwiched by that emotional intro and an equally touching final scene. It’s a great end to a challenging and scenically beautiful journey.
Overwatch – Blizzard
Clearly inspired by Valve’s multiplayer classic Team Fortress 2, Overwatch is a bright, accessible team-based blaster with a wealth of interesting, diverse characters and a refreshing emphasis on the joy of collaboration, rather than individual skill.
What we said: The game’s weaknesses are the weaknesses of its genre, but its strengths are enough to win round even those – like myself – who generally think of themselves as not a fan of multiplayer combat. It’s fast and fun, with an air of unadulterated joy throughout.
Ratchet and Clank – Insomniac
The classic PlayStation platformer returns, mixing warm nostalgic fun with modern visual fidelity to produce a beautiful and genuinely funny family adventure.
What we said: Ratchet & Clank is a successful mixture of old and new, improved by the inclusion of features that came in later games in the series, and with a modern polish, but retaining its core of silly fun.
Rocket League – Psyonix
Ridiculous on paper, but exhilerating fun in practise, Rocket League mixes motor sports and football into an arena-based team sport where weaponised cars compete to score goals with a giant ball.
What we said: Rocket League is simply a joy to play, win or lose. And with friends? Wow. This is the most fun you’ll ever have behind the wheel of a rocket powered football playing car.
Stephen’s Sausage Roll – Stephen Lavelle
An indie puzzle game of genuinely savage difficulty, which uses the conceit of an innocent barbecue to test and tease the planning abilities of its players.
What we said: your only option is to sit and stare at each deceptively simple sequence of tiles, abuse the undo key, maybe sleep on it and come back with a new resolve, until it all finally clicks.
That Dragon, Cancer
A heartbreaking autobiographical tale of parents coping with the sickness and death of a child. The experience is difficult but it says so much about what games are capable of in the modern era.
What we said: That Dragon, Cancer shows how video games can create empathy, both through the simple method of allowing the player to experience unfamiliar situations – and by twisting what is real and not-real within them. It’s cut through with human resilience and humour but ultimately defined by a determination to leave a mark on a little boy’s behalf – something to show he was here, and real, and mattered. An unforgettable experience.
Tom Clancy’s The Division – Massive Entertainment
Ubisoft’s online shooter matches an apocalyptic narrative with an extraordinary rendition of New York to produce a truly gripping alternative to Destiny.
What we said: The Division is an experience that’s worth having if you’re at all interested in mainstream action games, or role-playing adventures, or co-operative online play. You will not be bored as you blast your way through.
Uncharted 4 – Naughty Dog
The final adventure for gaming’s own Indiana Jones is a breathless thrill ride that offers some moving personal themes amid all the puzzles, climbing and shooting.
What we said: In Uncharted 4 [Nathan Drake] gets the conclusion he and his fans deserve – a rollicking, globe-trotting adventure that manages to be funny and exciting, yet also touched with sadness.
Unravel – Coldwood Interactive
A pretty, personal and playful adventure platformer, revelling in the natural beauty of the Swedish countryside. The central motif – using twine from the handicraft lead character to create new pathways – is a sweet metaphor about love and connectivity.
What we said: The world is incredibly detailed, 2D levels through 3D environments that stretch into the horizon, filled with animals, vegetables, and minerals shown from a close-up perspective close to the ground [...] Yarny’s journey might have its ups and downs, but it’s brief and beautiful. It is a mostly wordless message of love.
The Witness – Thekla Games
Jonathan Blow’s epic labour of love is an obtuse yet engaging puzzler set on an island divided into a series of challenging mental tasks.
What we said: Some fans of Blow’s earlier work seem to have been hoping that the mazes they saw in the trailers are just a veneer for a deeper, mind-blowing experience, but really the world and whatever narrative you can find in it are dressing for an incredibly impressive collection of puzzles.
XCOM 2 – Fireaxis
The classic turn-based sci-fi strategy series returns with the aliens now dominating Earth and the player controlling a small band of resistance fighters. The edgy set-piece encounters and permadeath mechanics still make for gripping showdowns.
What we said: XCOM 2 is a perfect example of how iteration should work for games: it takes a great original, fixes and streamlines the problems, and doubles-down in unexpected areas.
